The Return of the Fallen Luna: Rise of the Heiress

Chapter 172: Chapter 172 Night Attack

By proposing such an arrangement, Mr. Lowe wasn’t merely seeking profits. He was placing his cards on the table and revealing a vulnerability that few people would ever be allowed to see. In doing so, he was demonstrating a level of trust and sincerity that couldn’t be expressed through words alone.

"Mr. Lowe, why are you so certain we’ll agree to your proposal?" Ashley asked after setting down her spoon. "Confessing your own vulnerability seems like a risky move."

"Because I know I’m your best option in this city," Mr. Lowe replied without hesitation.

"Yes, you could simply lease a building from me and go your own way. But a landlord and a tenant share nothing beyond a contract. Without a deeper connection, something like a business partnership, you won’t survive here for long."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table as he intertwined his fingers, his calm gaze never leaving Ashley.

"The businessmen in this city are vultures circling fresh meat. The respectable ones are hungry wolves waiting for an opening. The rest are rats that thrive in the shadows. Even if they fail once, they’ll keep probing for weaknesses until they find one."

A slow smile spread across his face.

"But if you’re associated with me, they’ll think twice before making a move. Not because they respect you..." He paused deliberately. "Because they fear me."

"They know exactly what happens to those who mistake my silence for weakness. Crossing me has consequences, and no one in this city is eager to become the next example."

That look made the hairs on the back of Ashley’s neck stand on end.

Although Mr. Lowe spoke in a calm, measured tone, every word carried an unmistakable warning. It sounded less like a confession of who he was and more like a reminder of what he was capable of.

She swallowed instinctively, grateful that she had just finished her soup. Still, she kept her expression composed. In the business world, this kind of conversation was hardly uncommon. If you appeared too soft, others would see you as an easy target, a ripe persimmon waiting to be plucked. Veiled threats, subtle intimidation, and calculated displays of power were simply part of the game.

"I understand," Ashley said calmly. "So what you’re saying is that you’re willing to accept the business proposal I sent, provided our company forms a partnership with the Walker family?"

"Hmm."

Mr. Lowe gave only a noncommittal hum in response as the servers stepped forward to clear away his half-finished bowl of soup.

"Not quite," Mr. Lowe corrected. "I’m saying I’ll accept it because the Walker family will be part of it."

Ashley smiled and gave a slight nod.

Throughout the entire meeting, Gideon hadn’t uttered a single word. He merely observed from the sidelines, like a predator patiently waiting for its prey to take the bait. His attention appeared fixed on the meal before him, yet his peripheral vision never stopped tracking Ashley’s every movement, as though measuring each of her reactions.

The dinner continued in an uneasy silence.

Ashley had already understood Mr. Lowe’s condition. She had no intention of making such an important decision on her own and planned to relay everything to her eldest brother, Apollo, leaving it to him to decide whether the proposed partnership with the Walker family was worth accepting.

For the moment, the atmosphere had settled into a quiet understanding.

Then—

Bang!

Boom!

A deafening explosion erupted just outside the pavilion.

The blast wave tore through the dining area, hurling Ashley, Gideon, Gage, Mr. Lowe, along with the chefs and servers, several meters through the air.

Barely three seconds before the explosion, Gideon had suddenly risen from his seat. Without a word, he pulled Ashley into his arms and shielded her against his chest.

The abrupt movement instantly put both Gage and Mr. Lowe on alert. They shot to their feet, their instincts screaming that something was wrong.

But it was already too late.

The explosion ripped through the pavilion before anyone could react, engulfing the area in a violent shockwave that sent everyone flying.

"Ugh..."

Ashley’s ears rang violently, reducing the world around her to a dull, muffled hum. Dust filled the air as chunks of shattered stone and splintered wood lay scattered over them.

She had escaped with only minor injuries.

Gideon had taken the brunt of the explosion, shielding her with his own body from the moment the blast struck. Even now, he remained draped over her, protecting her from the falling debris.

After a few seconds, Gideon groaned and pushed himself up, effortlessly shoving the rubble off his back. His right shoulder had been scorched by the blast, the sleeve of his shirt burned away and reduced to charred black fabric, exposing angry red burns beneath.

Not far away, Gage and Mr. Lowe were in no better condition. Both bore cuts and burns from the explosion, their clothes torn and stained with dust and blood.

Neither of them had the chance to regain their footing.

The moment the dust began to settle, the sound of gunfire and clashing steel erupted from every direction.

Mr. Lowe’s bodyguards, stationed throughout the private resort, had already engaged the attackers. Shouts, explosions, and the crack of gunfire echoed across the compound as the quiet dinner descended into a full-scale battlefield.

"Protect the master! Move!"

The nearest bodyguard’s shout rang across the shattered pavilion.

But before he could say another word, his voice caught in his throat.

"Ugh—!"

A clawed hand burst through his chest from behind.

His eyes widened in disbelief as he slowly looked down. Long, bloodstained claws protruded from his chest as his still beating heart was in the attacker’s grip, their owner hidden behind him. His lips trembled as he coughed up a mouthful of blood, his strength draining away in an instant.

The claws withdrew.

His body collapsed heavily to the ground.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Gunfire echoed relentlessly across the resort.

The survivors caught in the explosion were still struggling to recover. Their heads spun violently, their ears rang, and every bone in their bodies seemed ready to fall apart.

Gage staggered to his feet, ignoring the searing pain coursing through his body, and hurried to Ashley’s side.

Ashley had just managed to sit upright when her eyes fell on Gideon’s right shoulder. She sucked in a sharp breath.

The sleeve of his shirt had been burned away, exposing an angry scorch mark that stretched across his shoulder.

Gage wasn’t in much better shape. His entire left forearm was badly burned after he instinctively raised it to shield his head from the explosion and the rain of flying debris.

"Brother..." Ashley called weakly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Check on Mr. Lowe..."

As the words left her mouth, a wave of heat swept through her body.

Her vision blurred.

She suddenly felt as though she were burning from the inside out, as if a raging fever had taken hold of her in an instant. Whether it was the aftermath of the explosion or something else, she couldn’t tell.

Her thoughts became sluggish.

The ringing in her ears drowned out the chaos around her until the world seemed strangely silent despite the relentless gunfire.